Ker-ching! These are the top 10 richest South African sports stars

It's nice work if you can get it...

They say if you’re good at something, you should never do it for free. So we should all perhaps take a leaf out of the books of the richest South African sports stars, and start charging megabucks for things we are well versed in.

They’ve worked hard, become the best in their field, and consistently produce world class performances in their respective sport. This is an entertainment industry, and if Hollywood stars make daft money, why can’t our athletes?

The richest South African sports stars

10. Chris Morris

(Cricket)

The Proteas’ all rounder has managed to cash-in on the IPL riches, signing a lucrative deal with the Delhi Daredevils in the Indian Premier League; a money-spinning tournament in which he has appeared in since 2013.

He’s made his name as a T20 specialist, and has cemented his place as a favourite for the Delhi crowds when he bludgeoned a record breaking 82* off just 32 balls last year, scoring the league’s fastest ever half-century off 17 balls.

Net worth: R222 million ($17 million)

9. AB De Villiers

(Cricket)

The man, the myth, the legend. AB has wowed audiences worldwide with his sensational displays or brutal power-hitting with the bat. He’s recorded the fastest century in any format of the game, and is the darling of South African cricket.

Net Worth: R265 million ($15-20 million)

8. Jacque Fourie

(Rugby)

The former Lions, Stormers and Springboks centre has enjoyed a glittering career, including a superb campaign for South Africa when they charged to World Cup glory back in 2007.

He notched up 72 caps for SA over an 11-year period, scoring 160 points. He is widely regarded as a modern great in this country, and most recently enjoying a spell playing for Japanese outfit Kobelco Steelers.

Net worth: R286 million ($22 million)

7. Charl Schwartzel

(Golf)

Our first golfer on the list, Schwartzel made a massive name for himself back in 2011 when he won the US Masters. Winning one major on the PGA tour can set a golfer for life, but Charl hasn’t rested on his laurels…

He rose to a career-high 6th-best in the world back in 2012, and has won a total of 23 tournaments in his career. He’s also a trained pilot, so he knows a thing or two about being a high-flyer.

Net worth: R457 million ( $35 million)

6. Louis Oosthuizen

(Golf)

His 15-year professional career has seen him notch up 19 individual tour wins. His finest hour came when he won the Open Championship at St. Andrew’s, romping home to a scintillating victory in 2010.

He’s finished second at both The Masters and The US Open, and our Louis is due another huge win in the near future. Endorsements with Mercedes-Benz and UPS have kept his finances looking rather healthy.

5. Steven Pienaar

(Football)

The Joburger has earned cult status on Merseyside, after racking up more than 150 appearances for English Premier League club Everton.

The tricky midfielder has enjoyed spells at some of Europe’s finest clubs – Ajax, Borussia Dortmund and Tottenham Hotspur – and returned back to Mzansi to play for current ABSA PSL Champions, Bidvest Wits. He is the only footballer in the top 10 richest South African sports stars.

Net worth: R523 million ($40 million)

4. Bryan Habana

(Rugby)

Never has a man so fleet of foot looked so utterly menacing. His grace and raw power have earned him deserved comparisons to the great Jonah Lomu, but Habana has marched to the beat of his own drum over a 124-cap test career for the Springboks.

The 2007 World Cup winner can now be found putting the fear of god into the poor backlines of France’s Top 14 league, as he turns out for Toulon.

Net worth: R614 million ($47 million)

3. Retief Goosen

(Golf)

The Goose has a record that simply speaks for itself: 41 career victories, 252 consecutive weeks in the World’s Top 10, and two US Open titles.

He’s also known as The Iceman, and when you see the cool sum of money he’s made from the game as well as Rolex and Grey Goose endorsements, it’s easy to see why.

Net worth: R654 million ($50 million)

2. Jacques Kallis

(Cricket)

The Proteas’ blistering all-rounder can lay claim to once being the best cricketer in the world after the turn of the century. On his day, which was more often than not, Kallis was unplayable with both bat and ball.

He remains as the only player to score 10,000 runs and take 250 wickets in both Test and One Day formats. He owes his sizeable fortune to his years at the peak of the game, as well as spells in the IPL and a cosy endorsement deal with Herbalife.

Net Worth: R980 million ($75 million)

1. Ernie Els

(Golf)

Ernie by name, Earner by nature. Though Kallis is all but there, Els remains as South African sports only billionaire. We keep telling you, there’s money in all of this golfing lark!

The Big Easy officially tops our list of the richest South African sports stars. He has four Majors titles (two x Open Championship, two x US Open) and a whopping 79 further tour victories to his name.

Els’ endorsements with Calloway and Boeing have looked after him well, and he now even has his own wine farm. Nothing else quite says ‘billionare’ like that, hey?

Net worth: R1.3 billion ($100 million)

We sourced our data for the richest south african sports stars fromSADiaries.com